The state of governance of climate change adaptation in

coastal GBM- delta Bangladesh

Md. Rashed Alam BhuiyanRefugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU)

DEltas, vulnerability and Climate Change: Migration and Adaptation (DECCMA)

SESSION 12 – PARALLEL

LOCAL ADAPTATION PLANNING

DAY 2 MONDAY, 09 JANUARY 2017

Venue: Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB)

1

Low-lying southern coastal districts of Bangladesh are heavily vulnerable to climate changeHuge population density, exposure to frequent disasters and lack of local adaptive options. Asset loss, resource constraints, lack of adaptation finance are major stumbling blocks.Bangladesh government and its development partners, NGOs are implementing different adaptation programs, taken policy initiatives (NAPA, BCCSAP) What is the current governance mechanisms of these adaptations programs, projects and practices ?What is the local peoples’ perception about the governance of current adaptation initiatives?

2

Methodology The locations for the field work was chosen through using hot spots and vulnerability rankings of the study area, GIS Mapping, calculating net migration on basis of last two national census and demographic analysis. Upazilas with high net migration and high level of vulnerability (Ramgoti, Laxmipur) and Southkhali, Bagerhat1 Upazila with High level of vulnerability but low migration (area with technically immobility) (Potuakhali)Areas where high level of adaptation practices found from literatures (Khulna region) Gendered segregated 13 FGDs at 3 districts Stakeholder Mapping 1 national stakeholder workshop at Dhaka and 2 district level stakeholders meetings in two delta districts; one is located in South-Western part of delta (Khulna) and other is on South Eastern part of delta (Ramgoti, Lakshmipur).

3

4

5

Adaptation initiatives taken by different organizations

Theme Government intervention NGOs Intervention Autonomous Adaptation

Clim

ate

-Res

ilie

nt

Ph

ysic

al

Infr

astr

uct

ure

s

Construction of embankment, Cross Dam, Block in the bank of river, Riverbed management,Tidal River Management (TRM)Sluice gate, River dredging,Cannel re-excavationMulti purpose cyclone shelters / schools

Construction of approach roads, bridges, culverts, killas (cyclone refuges for livestock), markets, boat landing ghats, bus standSettlement Projects: Guchhogram, AsrayonClimate resilient infrastructure; housing

Cyclone SheltersConstruction of approach roadResettlement projectClimate resilient housing structure i.e. JJS; Household plinth raising

Raising home plinth, raising height of tube-well basement, toilet and pond sideClimate resilient housing structure

Agr

icu

ltu

re

inn

ova

tio

n

Supply of agricultural seedsMicro credit/Direct economic assistance ,Agricultural subsidies,Restriction on fishing during breeding/reproductive seasonDissemination of modern agricultural technologies, Farmers forum

Supply of agricultural seedsShort duration cropsSaline/drought/flood tolerant seedsSupplying HYV seedFarmer Field school Farming counselingFarmers forum, Group formation for Micro Finance & Capacity Building (IGA)

Cultivation of vegetable in dikesRaising seed bed platformHomestead vegetable gardeningShifting of crop and crop diversification Fresh water aquaculture Backyard livestock productionSwitching to new agricultural production cash crop cultivation i.e.Soybean

Alt

ern

ativ

ein

com

e

gen

era

tin

g ac

tivi

tie

s Low interest loan for entrepreneurship Direct economic assistance Subsidy/grant for livestock production (One House, one Farm)Government allowances for vulnerable group (VGF)

Subsidy & grant for livestock productionMicro credit/ Direct economic assistance, LoanLivelihood training (tailoring, livestock rearing, small business)Alternative livelihood creationIntegrated fish farmingShushilon’ Food for work

Animal Husbandry/Poultry Farming Small and petty business,Raising livestock (hen, duck) Changing livelihoods, adjustment to new livelihoods, Women work outside the home or involvement with economic activities (NGOs Jobs, or local grocery stores, tea stalls, tailoring at home, livestock rearing, making handicrafts i.e. mat, Katha)

6

Adaptation initiatives taken by different organizations

Theme Government intervention NGOs Intervention Autonomous Adaptation

Mo

bili

ty/M

igra

tio

n

Settlement; Given the situation of riverbank erosion, loss of land & displacement, resettlement was an important adaptation intervention by the government. People move to these areas as planned adaptation. Guchhogram, Asrayon, Char Development and Settlement Project. CDSP co-financed by the Government of Bangladesh, the Government of the Netherlands, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). Government also provides climate résilient internal infrastructure for communication, market access, provision of potable water and hygienic sanitation, provision to the settlers of a legal title to land

In government initiated resettlement Project under the social and livelihood support subcomponent NGOs provide micro-finance services, education training on income-generating activities and disaster management, raise awareness for legal rights, and extend health and family planning services.

People from all these regions using migration as an income adaptation. People migrating, both seasonally and temporarily, to supplement the loss of family income due to climatic and other stresses at local levels. Other forms of migration include: permanent migration to slums or urban areas, cross border migration, short term international contract migration. However, some people resettled themselves on the embankments and government khas land. These type of movement can’t be treated as examples of adaptation rather they are cases of short term coping.

Cap

acit

y b

uild

ing

mea

sure

s/C

limat

e-R

esi

lien

t B

iop

hys

ical

or

Gre

enIn

fras

tru

ctu

re

Government had taken several awareness raising programmes i.e. early warning, Cyclone preparedness etc.Tree plantationMangrove forestationAwareness building

Training on disaster preparation, Disaster related education,Advocacy InitiativeAwareness building Water purification trainingTraining on agricultural innovationLivelihood training Tree plantationPKSF: Loan, training

Previous experiences on natural hazards and local indigenous knowledge also help the community to minimize disaster vulnerability. Community people are planting trees now as a

disaster mitigation strategy i.e. to reduce temperature rising as well as a producer of oxygen.

Oth

ers

(W

ate

r, H

eal

th,

San

itat

ion

, ed

uca

tio

n

Bangladesh government has been taken programme for enhancing peoples access to pure drinking water. It also provides free education and installed sanitary latrine for the poor communities. Government has also taken a several sanitation and health related programme

Development partners specially DANIDA, Water aid, working in water NGOs have set up pond sand filter (PSF), water tank ,Wash programme

Rain water harvesting Drink river water using Alum /FitkriReserve rain water adjacent to KillaMultiple use of rain water

7

0

5

10

15

20

25Identified adaptations from Stakeholder meeting

GovernmentNGOsAutonomous

infrastructur

al

adaptations

Agricultur

e

adaptatio

ns

Alternative

income

generating

activities

Mobility/

Migration

Capacity

building

measures

Others

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40Identified adaptations from FGDs

Government

NGOs

Autonomous

8

Successful adaptation

activities

Homestead raising , raising

plinth

Cyclone Shelter

Resettlement project

Guchhogram, Asrayon, CDSP

Homestead vegetable

gardening

Aquaculture, Soyabin

cultivation

Awareness raising training,

CCP

Migration

Women working outside

the home or involvement

with economic activities

(NGOs Jobs, or local

grocery stores, tea stalls,

tailoring, livestock

rearing, making

handicrafts i.e. mat, Katha)

Livestock farming

“We have no work here. What can we do? So migration is generally helpful for us. Even it is better to go outside the country by borrowing

money from others. If they repay the loan within two years, they will have a bright future. It is

very rare that migration brings bad luck to us.”(FGD: Soutkhali, Bagerhat, Female)

“We are being informed about the danger signal through radio or television. Union

Disaster Management Committee (UDMC) of Union Parishad under CPP (Cyclone

Preparedness Program) also informs us. Deputy Commissioner’s s Office, executive officers, members of Union Parishad keeps them busy all the twenty-four hours during

the disaster. They try hard to bring people of backwards area to cyclone center. NGOs are working for building awareness. They have taught us how to response in disaster. They told us to save food, fresh water. They also

gave pot so that we can save food and water

(FGD: Soutkhali, Bagerhat, Female)

Implementing institutions DPHE, Agriculture,Fisheries and forest office of the Government of Bangladesh.Red Crescent Concern Worldwide WateraidIslamic Relief GonoMukhiJJS CREL ShushilonRupantorProdiponBRAC SUS UttaranCommunity Development Centre (CODEC); Centre for Natural Resource Studies (CNRS) SagarikaSamajUnnayanSangstha (SSUS) DwipUnnayanSangstha(DUS)

9

People perception on current state and crisis of Governance of adaptation projects and practices

Government NGOs Autonomous

Go

vern

ance

of

infr

astr

uct

ura

lad

apta

tio

ns

There are some good practices for example multipurpose cyclone

shelter but SHs identified following gaps

Lack of proper planning and research on sustainable

adaptation techniques

Unplanned embankments,

Lack of coordination within various departments of

government and among the stakeholders

Mismanagement of the project, i.e. irregular river dredging

Inappropriate and untimely implementation,

Lack of regular maintenance and proper monitoring

mechanism,

Non-involvement of local people in planning and

implementation

Lack of accountability and transparency

Not considering cost effectiveness

Not cost effective technology

Lack of people participation in planning period

Non activeness of local committee

Lack of technical knowledge in a changing situation

Lack of funding and delayed budget disbursement.

Using adaptation fund for normal development activities

Lack of wider

coverage,

High pricing (Solar

energy)

profit centric

Short term project and

try to show case good

practice

Lack of resources i.e.

(allocate a land to build

structure to fulfill

community needs),

Lack of coordination

and stimulating

leadership.

Crisis of like-

mindedness. Hard to

reach consensus to

make any community

effort

Diminishing social

bonding

adap

tati

on

s

Lack of policy support or coherence, (commercial policy Vs climate change adaptation strategy)

Lack of inter-ministerial coordination, Inadequate research i.e. Entrepreneurs are affected by

Governmentagriculture/fisheries/livestock officer rarely go to field, but NGOs

Fewer naturally grown

resources (firewood,

vegetables, fruit) available to

10

People perception on current state and crisis of Governance of adaptation projects and practices

Government NGOs Autonomous

Cri

sis

of

gove

rnan

ce i

n

alte

rnat

ive

inco

me

ge

ne

rati

ng

acti

viti

es

Most of these alternative income generating activities are

autonomously initiated

Lack of government priority for alternative livelihood

generation

Limited financial support from government

Lack of Subsidy for livestock production

Women have huge potentials of earning through handicrafts

but lack of marketing facilities

High interest

rate if anyone

takes micro

credit for

income

generation

Short term

project and try

to show case

good practice

Lack of fund

Shortage of skilled

manpower

Mo

bili

ty/

Mig

rati

on

No department for monitoring internal migration

No strategy on pro or anti internal migration

No safety net for migrants

Lack of tenure security

Lack of proper management of resettlement projects

(Migration to resettlement sites is governed by local

administration of government). A large number of families

moving out from resettled sites, selling their possessions

Migrants Insecurity in the

receiving areas,

Lack of livelihood alternatives

Lack of capacity

Shortage of skilled manpower

Lack of security of left behind

family members of the migrants

Cap

acit

y

bu

ildin

g

mea

sure

s Lack of operating mechanism to target the marginalised group

Coastal forestation project failing due to no alternative

livelihood to reduce stress on forest

oth

ers

Health facilities non availability in remote areas Lack of community awareness

11

Overall crisis

Non publication of law and order, that’s why people don’t know their right

Inappropriate intervention of law and orders

Out dated law and order

Overlook people right

Non accessibility of common people in decision making process,Empowerment missing

Political influence

Administration Corruption

National level strategy are rarely linked with local context

Implementation; National – local link not established

Lack of institutional strength

"This embankment has not been maintained or repaired for along time. Worse, the prawn cultivators have set hundredsof pipes (called gois by the locals) that have weakened the mudshield which easily collapsed when Aila hit," says Nuru ofDacope village. "These gois are illegal. The owners of shrimpponds (gher) manage to set these up by bribing the BangladeshWater Development Board (BWDB) officials.“.(SH MeetingKhulna).

Climate-resilient Bangladesh

Relate your work with the theme of the conference ‘Climate-resilient Bangladesh’

Creation of local jobs so that people can adapt locally

12

The messageThe role of governance is pivotal in a changing climate and addressing the challenges faced by delta populations. Though there are some successful model of adaptation implementation i.e. multi-purpose cyclone shelters, CCP, capacity building training but governing style of country’ many other large scale adaptation activities such as construction of embankment , river management, installation of PSF etc. have had crisis of governance. Major crisis of governance includes; lack of proper planning and inadequate research, unplanned embankments, lack of coordination within various department of government, mismanagement of the project, inappropriate and untimely implementation, lack of regular maintenance and proper monitoring mechanism, non involvement of local people in planning and implementation and lack of funding and delayed budget disbursement.

13

14

This work was carried out under the Collaborative Adaptation Research Initiative in Africa and Asia (CARIAA), with financial support from the UK Government’s Department for International Development (DFiD) and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada. The views expressed in this work are those of the creators and do no necessarily represent those of DFiD and IDRC or its Board of Governors.